"The Official Portrait of Miss InDiana"

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

According to the Indianapolis Star more than 700 people, many of them senior citizens on fixed incomes, protested rising property taxes at a Greenwood rally Monday night…The standing-room-only crowd cheered Miller often and booed when property tax increases were mentioned. Several had copies of their tax bills, while others waved signs such as “Pay unfair tax or pay for food?”

I was very impressed by the 700 plus turnout, and it was obvious that the crowd has not been placated by the band-aid solutions offered so far. I’m starting to believe that the citizens can keep up this kind of pressure through November. Many of the issues that Eric Miller brought up were valid and well thought out. The media was there, as well as several elected officials and a few candidates (yours truly among them).

Now, as a Libertarian candidate for City-County Council, I am reminded by my colleagues that Mr. Miller disagrees with our platform, and was presenting a NON-FairTax proposal. His stance, as can be found at http://www.repealpropertytaxes.com/, is to eliminate property taxes by a constitutional amendment, but then raise the income tax rate by 1%, and raise sales tax by 2%. In Marion County, this would translate into a 2.65% income tax (thank you, city-county council), and an 8% sales tax.

I am a FairTax supporter, and I favor the FairTax over all other options, but let me say this to those who would attack Advance America’s plan: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

We don’t agree with everything Mr. Miller is proposing, but at least it’s a step in the right direction. Hopefully, more rallies and efforts like these will pressure politicians to reform the tax system, which will do nothing but help the chances of getting the FairTax implemented.

5 comments:

Why did NONE of the property-tax-issue sites mention today's public hearing on reassessment? We heard one throwaway comment on the 11:00 news last night and after diligent digging, located a teeny item in today's Star. And this was a hearing where the public was invited to speak -- by law! Naturally it was in the middle of the day, so only retired or self-employed people could attend, but these things need to be publicized within the movement so those who CAN go can show up!

Good question. We all work full time jobs and do this as volunteers. Sometimes we miss a meeting announcement. Please email announcements and important meetings to us and we'll publish them. We rely a lot on the public to help with this endeavor.

Miller's Voter Guides, published prior to every state and federal election, include Republicans and Democrats only.

I've called Advance America numerous times urging them to include Libertarians. They refuse.

The Democrats boycott the Voter Guides, recognizing Miller as a GOP insider and activist.

The net result: Advance America's Voter Guides are nothing more than slates of Republican candidates with mention of Democratic opponents, all scoring "0" for non-participation. Libertarian candidates who earned ballot access are simply ignored.

IN 2004 THE ONLY GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE WHO VOCALLY OPPOSED PROPERTY TAX was the Libertarian. In spite of heavy, state-wide media coverage, Miller stubbornly refused to acknowledge the Libertarian role in defeating this horrendous burden on Hoosiers.

It's time our friend Eric Miller recognizes he's not the only show in town and that consensus building is essential to our mutual success in eliminating property taxation in Indiana.